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That's the limitation of a park like Dodger Stadium's age, vs. the new parks. (Like Coors Field, where I can buy a $5 Rockpile ticket and sit 10 rows up from 1st base.)

Doug

Just for the record, this "problem" with Dodger Stadium is not unsolvable. In fact, the McCourts plan, within the next few years, to build a main entrance/plaza beyond the CF batters-eye, connect the pavilions to the grandstand and make all sections of the park accessible to all ticket holders.

Just for the record, this "problem" with Dodger Stadium is not unsolvable. In fact, the McCourts plan, within the next few years, to build a main entrance/plaza beyond the CF batters-eye, connect the pavilions to the grandstand and make all sections of the park accessible to all ticket holders.

I have never been there so obviously i have an opinion based only on pics .. But it seems many love this ballpark?? I dont really know why. Can Anyone explain the highlites of this ballpark. From what i see it looks pretty bland on the outside exterior, the upper deck looks as high and far back as the avg stadium and has the suites in between the decks.. The seats along the outfield foul lines look to be facing the outfield, not towards the infield.. No great characteristics in the park and just bleachers past the outfield wall.. Is it the views, the sunken in stadium into a hill?? The colors of the seats?? It looks as plain a ballpark as you can get and since it was the stadium built for the team leaving Brooklyn and built by O'malley, i would think many more would hate it .. Althoguh from what ive heard it was Omalley's vision to stay in Brooklyn but the powers that be woudlnt allow it, so Moses got his new stadium in Flushing which is Shea stadium. Now ofcourse i like Dodger stadium's looks better then Shea, who wouldnt, but it doesnt seem to be that much out of the box IMO!!!

After only 2 pages on this thread i now see why Dodger stadium is so highly regarded, its looks beutiful and the personal stories sum it all up. I will get there one day!!!

I live in Houston and have been to Dodger Stadium a few times (I'm a big Dodger fan) but when I watch baseball on tv it really is hard to watch a game without hearing Vin Scully's voice. Milo Hamilton here in Houston isn't bad, but Vin Scully blows him outta the water. He has to be one of the greatest announcers ever!

Dodger Stadium 56,000 Capacity

Question for Elvis and Lafferty Daniel, etc.

From the day it opened in 1962, the capacity of Dodger Stadium has always been listed as 56,000. Every stadium/arena in this country has had fluctuating seating capacities (+/- 1,000 or so) over the decades, and I’m not including the ones that have undergone major expansions. Chavez Ravine: 56,000, no changes, no matter what.

Even with the addition of those field level seats expanding the original field level some 10+ rows towards the diamond (and the obvious increase in capacity to the eyes), the capacity is still listed as 56,000.

Same thing with parts of the Pavilion seats closest to CF never being sold in order to increase the size of the Batter's Eye backdrop.

Is there some deed restriction, zoning law, fire law in City/County documents dating back 40+ years that states that the listed capacity must never go above 56,000? I would like to know.

I remember in South Florida when Dolphin Stadium first opened in 1987, there was some restriction (number of parking lot spaces?) that was placed leaving the stadium capacity at 73,000, with the last row of seats left uncompleted on purpose. The only exception was for the 1989 49ers-Bengals Super Bowl, where the last row was temporarily installed. Only in the early 1990’s were the seats permanently installed bringing the capacity up to its present 75,000.

Another example is the UM Hurricanes new basketball arena which can hold 10,000. However, City of Coral Gables (a very wealthy and exclusive city with ridiculously strict zoning laws where the UM campus is located) limited the number of seats to 7,000 the first couple of years in order to gauge traffic impacts on the neighborhood. Part of the reason why the arena took some 8 years to build.

If you can answer the Dodger Stadium question, it will answer something I’ve wondered about for almost 30 years.

From the day it opened in 1962, the capacity of Dodger Stadium has always been listed as 56,000. Every stadium/arena in this country has had fluctuating seating capacities (+/- 1,000 or so) over the decades, and Iím not including the ones that have undergone major expansions. Chavez Ravine: 56,000, no changes, no matter what.

Even with the addition of those field level seats expanding the original field level some 10+ rows towards the diamond (and the obvious increase in capacity to the eyes), the capacity is still listed as 56,000.

Same thing with parts of the Pavilion seats closest to CF never being sold in order to increase the size of the Batter's Eye backdrop.

Is there some deed restriction, zoning law, fire law in City/County documents dating back 40+ years that states that the listed capacity must never go above 56,000? I would like to know.

I remember in South Florida when Dolphin Stadium first opened in 1987, there was some restriction (number of parking lot spaces?) that was placed leaving the stadium capacity at 73,000, with the last row of seats left uncompleted on purpose. The only exception was for the 1989 49ers-Bengals Super Bowl, where the last row was temporarily installed. Only in the early 1990ís were the seats permanently installed bringing the capacity up to its present 75,000.

Another example is the UM Hurricanes new basketball arena which can hold 10,000. However, City of Coral Gables (a very wealthy and exclusive city with ridiculously strict zoning laws where the UM campus is located) limited the number of seats to 7,000 the first couple of years in order to gauge traffic impacts on the neighborhood. Part of the reason why the arena took some 8 years to build.

If you can answer the Dodger Stadium question, it will answer something Iíve wondered about for almost 30 years.

Wonder no more. It's just a permit restriction from the L.A. City Fire Dept.. When the seating changes were added certain sections were decommissioned. For the 2000 season, the new dugout club seats forced two small sections in the pavilions to be closed. When the baseline box seats were added last year, the same number of upper reserved seats (1,600) by the foul poles were decommissioned, however, when those seats were redone for this season, they reduced the number of seats by 1,000, so those 1,000 seats were put back into use in the reserved level.

I remember a stadium that was built on land taken (I call it stolen) from a family that farmed there for about 100 years. I remember a stadium that opened WITHOUT any water fountains (I wonder how many LA City officials bank accounts were enriched). I remember a stadium parking lot that charged drivers for for parking when having to make a U-turn to leave because the game was sold out, and they didn't have tickets already. I remember a parking lot that was next-to-impossible to exit properly, especially if you were unfamiliar with the routing.

I won't even mention the LLLLOOONNNNGGG lines at the concession stands for over-priced food and drinks.

I remember a stadium that was built on land taken (I call it stolen) from a family that farmed there for about 100 years. I remember a stadium that opened WITHOUT any water fountains (I wonder how many LA City officials bank accounts were enriched). I remember a stadium parking lot that charged drivers for for parking when having to make a U-turn to leave because the game was sold out, and they didn't have tickets already. I remember a parking lot that was next-to-impossible to exit properly, especially if you were unfamiliar with the routing.

I won't even mention the LLLLOOONNNNGGG lines at the concession stands for over-priced food and drinks.

I cant recall where or when I read it, but I definitely do recalling reading that when Dodger Stadium was being designed & planned, Walter O'Malley insisted on the design featuring an easy way to expand the seating capacity to 80,000, should he, or future team presidents so desire. To date, no one has put that to use, most people may not even know or recall that O'Malley wanted that as a design feature.

In thinking back to my 2 or 3 visits to Dodger Stadium, (as an Anaheim resident I am both more of an Angel follower, as well as a patron of the nearby California League teams in the "Inland Empire"; Class "A" minor league ball.) as well as the many many times I have seen pictures & TV broadcasts it seems O'Malley wanted to follow the ""Ebbets Field Model", so to speak. When Ebbets Field was constructed originally the deep left field stands did not exist, They were later added as an extension of the original main grandstand. By removing the 2 outfield Pavilions at DS & extending the original structure around in a natural continuation, you could probably easily add 24,000 outfield seats, maybe more.

I am amazed that McCourt hasnt already done *something* with all that room he has between the foul poles, be it more seating, a club type restaurant with field views, attractions for the fans, something that produces revenue. I am not saying I want to see the Pavilions gone, I am a purist. But if I owned the team, I'd be as hungry for more revenue as anyone, I suspect even most purists would feel the same were they in McCourt's shoes, or those of any other club owner.